Happy Quincenera, Taz
by Blue-eyesThropp
Summary: Do you remember, when we met at my Quincenera? And you saved me from those killer Robots who tried to string me up like a piñata, so they could smash me open and eat my guts? Yeah, what exactly happened there...? K for very mild violence and atmosphere


**Authors Note: ****Aloha! So, I've finally managed to get this posted, so I'm really thrilled about that. This has bee sitting in my files for goodness knows how long! I know this is a little rough round the edges, but I'm actually testing people's reaction here. If you enjoy it, I've been thinking about maybe adding some more chapters and filing the rough bits. So, the more reviews the merrier! Hope you like it!**

**Love, Blue-eyes  
PS: I made Taz half American, half Mexican, because Lauren doesn't really look all that Mexican, but her accent is quite heavy. So, there you have the explanation of the Spanish name and English surname, just in case any one was wondering. Oh, and I hope the foreign words I used are okay. I have no clue whatsoever about Spanish as my languages are English, German and French (and Latin I guess), and so I had someone else write them for me. That's also why the whole thing is in English. So, sorry about that.**

**Disclaimer: The usual: nothing is mine, nothing ever was and nothing ever all be. Credit goes to Starkid, ad I guess also to Gene Roddenberry, since Starship is very Star Trek inspired ;-)**

**Summary: Do you remember, when we met at my Quincenera? And you saved me from those killer Robots who tried to string me up like a piñata so they could smash me open and eat my guts? Yeah, what exactly happened there...? **

Happy Quincenera, Taz

Theresa Greene scrutinized herself in the mirror. A fourteen year old waif, five foot in height and of that tanned complexion that only she seemed to possess, oddly enough, out of anyone in her home town. Not dark- skinned, not even olive-tinted as were the rest of her contemporaries, but a healthy sun-kissed colour which her classmates had called pale. The ebony hair, the eyes whose rich colour melted chocolate was afraid to compete with- these had been inherited from her mother. But her complexion, that was a trait from her father's side. He had been white. American, they used to call his race, when he had been but a boy. Before the _occurrence_ that no-one dared talk about.

She gazed downwards, remembering him. Stanley. Her father. The bravest man on earth, it seemed to Theresa. It was the day before her Quincenera, and she remembered how lovingly he once had talked about this day; about his little Taz growing up and becoming a woman.

She was trying on her Quincenera attire, and once she had finished gazing at her mirror image, she proceeded to slip into her shoes. They were tiny, delicate flats, of a silver hue that matched the embroidery on her dress. The dress itself was fine Mexican craftsmanship, and although it had been handed down to her sister Manuela from their mother, and from Manuela to Theresa, one would never have guessed this by the quality of it. The fabric was fine chiffon, and it swished gently around Theresa's slender calves.

The thought of her father, though, would not leave her head, and as much as she tried, she could not banish it from her subconscious. The memories had started creeping back ever since her mother had innocently remarked that they had better call her grandfather to conduct the _ceremonia de la ultima muñeca._ It was unconventional, she had said, but it could not be helped.

Theresa shook her head, not wanting to put a mood-dampener on her fifteenth birthday. Tomorrow, she was to become a grown up woman, and, frankly, she couldn't wait!

* * *

"Oh, Taz!"

Aunt Juanita gripped Theresa's cheeks so tightly that she probably would have created dents in her niece's face, had Theresa not slid out of her Aunt's iron grasp and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"Auntie! Please don't call me Taz. I'm fifteen now!"

Although she said in a light-hearted way, feigning a childish pout, the message of her appeal was serious. Taz had been her nickname given to her by her dad, and she disliked anybody calling her by it.

"I'm so sorry! I just can't believe my little Theresa grow up so big!"

Instead of getting into a drawn out discussion about what a big girl she was now, and the usual _I remember when you were just a little baby…_ Theresa excused herself politely and continued making her round around the room, greeting extended family member after extended family member. The only thing she resented about being part Mexican was her family, or rather, its size.

As she made her way to her cousin Gabriella, who was standing in a circle with her mother, sister and grandmother she heard that they were all heatedly discussing the Robot rebellion.

The Robot rebellion was the controversial theme of the day. Robots and people had lived in harmony for many centuries. The Robots had originally been created to serve the human race, and all was peaceful until certain American Robots had started to rebel some decades ago. Soon after that, Starship Rangers were flooding America from all over the world, among them Stanley Greene, defending the country against the wrath of their mechanical slaves.  
Word had it that the Robots of Mexico were currently planning to wage war against their government. Of course, this theory was considered to be utter nonsense by most, but those who had witnessed the occurrences in America knew that it was only a matter of time.

"Gabriella!" Theresa shouted out, unable to listen to any more of their talk about Robots.

"Theresa!" Gabriella returned her greeting with the same amount of energy.

"So, you're fifteen! Do you have a potential husband yet?"

It seemed that marriage was the only thing on Gabriella's mind. She had been married by the age of eighteen, and had had two children by the age twenty five, and now, at age thirty, lead a respectable life of comfort and happiness.

"Not really. I've been thinking more about careers, you know."

"You want a career?" it was evident that Gabriella, to whom housewife was the only career suitable for a woman, did not quite understand, "Well… what do you want to do?"

"I'm not sure yet," Theresa lied. In truth, she had hidden desire, one which Gabriella would never understand.

A yelp from the kitchen interrupted their conversation, and all heads turned to see Manuela Greene come charging in, her face as pale as a blank canvas. Breathless, she collapsed onto the floor. Trying very hard to regain her breath, she managed to scream, "Robots!"

The living room of the Greene family was steeped in the thickest silence, the air filled with fear and anticipation. The silence only lasted a few seconds, however. It was broken by the sound of heavy metal feet on the asphalt outside, which reminded everyone of the grave reality of their situation. At once, the biggest commotion broke out. People were jostled from side to side trying to escape the house or to hide somewhere within it. Children howled for their mothers, and mothers howled for their children, and many started to pray to God. Everyone was terrified to their very core, and had no trouble expressing it. All but Theresa.

Although the greatest terror she had ever felt was rising in her chest, Theresa stayed completely calm and fought her way out of the crowd of family members, which seemed to have grown considerably in size. She peered out of the window and saw exactly what it was that her sister had warned her of: three robots, clanging their way to the house of the late Starship Ranger, Stanley Greene.

The door did not swing open; the force of the metal fist brought it clean off its hinges. The Robots were not much bigger than a tall man: six and a half foot at most, but they each had the strength of at least ten strong men. Although they were of a primitive design and could not talk and didn't have human features like modern Robots, they were just as dangerous and probably even more menacing.

The largest of the three turned his head, taking in the cowering, terrified family members with his "eye". When it landed on Theresa who, though her legs threatened to give way any second, had somehow managed to stay standing tall and confident, the Robot emitted several beeps. Theresa's breath quickened as the Alloy monstrosity took one gigantic stride towards her. With a surprisingly swift movement, it grabbed hold of her leg and hurled her up into the air. She tried to protest, and banged on the aluminium exterior of the Robot, but her tiny fists hardly made an impact, and she soon realized that her gallant fight was futile. With its other hand, the Robot ripped the home-made piñata off the ceiling and hug Theresa upside-down on the rope in its place.

Still, the young woman was fighting, tooth and nail, trying to free herself from the rope. None of her family members rose to help her; they all peered out from their hiding places, their faces white and their breathing shallow. The Robot turned around to his cronies and they began conversing in an unintelligible series of beeps.

"_To all Robots: we command you to surrender at once! Any acts of violence will be met accordingly! Refusal to surrender will be seen as such an act also, and will be met in the same way! Rangers out."_

The voice came from outside. It was accompanied by the wailing of sirens and it crackled as though emitted over an old microphone, but everyone heard the message.

"_Exit the building! I repeat; exit the building!"_

Not surprisingly, none of the Robots reacted. The largest one turned to Theresa again, and took a step towards her. He reached out his hand…

"I am Lieutenant Up! Exit the building at once!"

All heads turned to the origin of the voice, including those of the Robots. In the gaping hole that had once been a doorway stood a man in his late twenties, dressed in camouflage trousers and a leather jacket, legs slightly apart and his hands at his hips. On his arm he wore the band of the G.L.E.E.

From his pocket, the Ranger produced a small device that looked somewhat like an old-fashioned laser-pointer. He held it up in front of his face and pointed it at the robots. All Theresa could see from her current position was a blinding red light shooting straight out at the robots. As soon as the light hit them, Theresa heard the whirring of machinery and several beeps. Then, everything went completely quiet, except for a relative's young child who was still whimpering in a corner.

"They're only shut down temporarily," Lieutenant Up warned the family, "but rest assured that we'll be chucking them into lava as soon as possible."

With that he strode toward Theresa and reached up to untie her. After much fumbling with the rope, she plopped into his arms almost like the symbolic _ultima muñeca. _He wiped her hair, which had come out of its elegant up do during her fight against the Robot, out of her face for her.

"Are you alright?" His voice was soft and gentle, despite its southern twang. Theresa merely nodded.

"May I ask what your name is, young lady?"

Theresa was too shocked to answer, so her Auntie Juanita piped up.

"It's Taz."

"Well, Taz, you put up a great fight. You are quite tough!"

Up gently let Theresa slide off his arms and onto the couch. Her mother immediately jumped up and ran to hug her daughter. Most of her other family members soon followed suit.

Up pressed the communicator badge that was attached to his jacket and spoke into it.

"All clear. Proceed to removal."

With that, he strode towards the door. But, just before he exited the house, he turned around to face Theresa.

"Happy Quincenera, Taz," And with a wink of his eye, he disappeared.

Almost at once, Theresa's entire family started bombarding her with questions.

"Oh my baby! Are you alright?"  
"Did they hurt you?"  
"What did they do to you?"

She didn't answer though. From the midst of the family group hug, all that Theresa Greene was thinking of were Lieutenant Up's words to her.

"_Well, Taz, you put up a great fight. You are quite tough!"_

Now she could answer Gabrielle's question as to what her career plans were with certainty, she thought. And also, she didn't think she minded them name Taz so much after all.


End file.
